Live Updates: Late-night election results in Sacramento mayor race; climate bond leads
Polls in California have closed, bringing to an end a contentious and competitive campaign season.
But the counting continues.
Voters in the Sacramento region had a chance to voice their choices for the next president of the United States and vote on U.S. senators and representatives.
They also made their voices heard on a number of California ballot propositions and local races, including the next Sacramento mayor.
Voting centers were open across the state until 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to the California Secretary of State website.
Voters who arrived after the polls close at 8 p.m. cannot cast a ballot, but folks already in line have the right to vote, California’s Voter Bill of Rights states.
We will update this story throughout the evening to bring you the latest results.
▪ See live updating election results in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties
Update: 12:45 a.m. Wednesday
Rep. Ami Bera wins California’s 6th Congressional District
Rep. Ami Bera, D-Elk Grove, defeated Christine Bish, a Republican, in California’s 6th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected at 12:38 a.m. Wednesday.
Bera, a member of Congress since 2013, faced Bish, a realtor and financial investigator. Bera had 57.5% of the votes with an estimated 42.5% of votes counted as of 12:47 a.m. Pacific on Tuesday. Bish had 42%.
The 6th district is in Sacramento County, covering the north side of Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, Arden Arcade and most of Fair Oaks. It is solidly Democratic, per nonpartisan election analysts.
— Gillian Brassil
Update: 12:40 a.m. Wednesday
McCarty leads mayor race, but Cofer supporters are hopeful
Assemblyman Kevin McCarty held on to his initial lead in the race to become Sacramento’s next mayor in election results released just before midnight, maintaining an 11 percentage point edge over opponent Flo Cofer.
With about a third of the votes counted just after midnight, McCarty led with 55% compared to Cofer’s 44%.
As the votes trickled in, McCarty’s supporters gathered at Cafeteria 15L in Downtown on Tuesday night, while Cofer’s backers converged at the Tipsy Putt.
Throughout the night, Cofer called for patience, saying that her supporters tend to not be early voters. In last March’s primary election, the first round of results showed Cofer in last place among all four candidates.
At McCarty’s party, supporters seemed satisfied and hopeful. McCarty’s lead began earlier in the evening at 9 p.m. and was welcomed with cheers and woos from party guests.
In the Sacramento council seat representing North Sacramento, Roger Dickinson has a lead over Stephen Walton. Dickinson, a former state assemblyman, has about 63% of the vote in early returns, while Walton has 37%.
— Emma Hall, Matthew Miranda and Theresa Clift
Update: 11:35 p.m. Tuesday
California’s $10 billion climate bond ahead in early returns
California voters appeared likely to authorize a $10 billion bond to bolster the state’s fight against climate change, with Proposition 4 holding a strong majority of votes in early returns Tuesday night. By 11:15 p.m. the measure held a strong lead, with 58% of votes counted in favor and 42% opposed.
The results appear to underscore the state’s strong appetite for government efforts to tackle the impacts of warming temperatures.
Prop 4 authorizes borrowing to fund a range of programs, from water conservation and recycling projects to increased forest thinning, planting more trees in cities and restoring coastal wetlands to protect against rising sea levels.
READ MORE: California voters decisively favor Prop 4, $10 billion climate bond
— Ari Plachta
Update: 11 p.m. Tuesday
South Lake Tahoe vacant home tax trails
A proposal to tax owners of vacant homes and apartments in South Lake Tahoe was losing handily Tuesday night.
Under Measure N, the city would have levied a $3,000 penalty on properties occupied less than half of a year. The tax would have increased to $6,000 annually in subsequent years if homes remained mostly unused.
Supporters argued the measure would encourage people to stay in their homes more often or to rent them. Money from the tax could have been used for affordable housing projects, as well as for road work, transit and the cost of collecting and enforcing the penalty.
The proposal roiled the popular vacation community as many residents and frequent visitors viewed it as an assault — on a way of life, the story of their homes, and on people with a property there who couldn’t vote on it because they primarily live somewhere else.
As of 10:30 p.m., a little more than 24% of ballots cast were in favor of the measure and almost 76% were opposed.
— Stephen Hobbs
Update: 11 p.m. Tuesday
Sacramento elected leaders gather at McCarty’s party
The 10 p.m. batch of results showed no significant change for the race for Sacramento mayor. Assemblyman Kevin McCarty is leading with 56% in early returns, and Flojaune Cofer has about 44%.
After the new batch posted online, Mayor Darrell Steinberg joined the large Election Night party for McCarty at Cafeteria 15L in downtown Sacramento.
”Thank you for your service,” McCarty told Steinberg and the crowd of supporters. “I just hope to grab a baton on the 10th of December and don’t drop it. And most importantly, (to) build upon your work, the work of great prior mayors and move Sacramento forward.”
Other politicians who made an appearance at the bash included District Attorney Thien Ho, Sacramento council members Karina Talamantes, Lisa Kaplan and Rick Jennings, and Councilman-elect Phil Pluckebaum.
A few blocks away, at Tipsy Putt, the crowd was optimistic despite McCarty’s lead. Council members Katie Valenzuela and Mai Vang were present.
Cofer spent nearly an hour taking photos with her supporters, some of whom waited half an hour for their turn. The crowd started dispersing just after 10:30 p.m.The next batch of results will be posted online at midnight, followed by another batch Friday.The percentage shifted a hair line in Cofer’s favor in the latest batch of results, Cofer noted.
”This is a repeat of March,” she said. “We’re trending up and excited about it.”The winner may not yet be determined for several weeks.
— Theresa Clift, Emma Hall and Mathew Miranda
Update: 10:55 p.m. Tuesday
McClintock wins re-election to Congress in Elk Grove seat
Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, held a solid lead in his re-election bid by about 10:45 Tuesday night, prompting the Associated Press to call the race in his favor.
McClintock, a member of Congress since 2009, faced a repeat Democratic challenge from Mike Barkley, a lawyer and property manager.
McClintock had 61% of the votes with an estimated 82% of precincts partially reported, according to the California Secretary of State.
Barkley had about 39%.
The 5th district runs from Placerville down into Fresno County, covering Yosemite National Park and parts of Kings Canyon National Park. It grabs Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa counties as well as western El Dorado County and eastern Stanislaus, Madera and Fresno counties.
— Gillian Brassil
Update: 10:45 p.m. Tuesday
California’s 1st Congressional District
Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa and Democrat Rose Penelope Yee
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, was leading in early results from California’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press.
LaMalfa, a member of Congress since 2013, faced Democrat Rose Penelope Yee, a small business owner. LaMalfa had 61.5% of the votes with an estimated 39% of votes counted as of 10:30 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday. Yee had 38.5%.
The 1st district includes Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and most of Yuba counties. Nonpartisan election analysts saw the race as solidly Republican.
— Gillian Brassil
Update: 10:35 p.m. Tuesday
Prop. 3 passes, enshrining same-sex marriage in constitution
California’s unenforceable ban on same-sex marriage will be removed from the state constitution altogether, under a ballot initiative headed for approval Tuesday night.
Proposition 3 removes that prohibition, which was passed by voters 16 years ago, and enshrines the right to marry regardless of sex or race in the California Constitution. In returns released by the California Secretary of State at around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the measure was leading with 63% of the vote in favor and 37% opposed. The Associated Press at 10:30 p.m. projected the measure to pass.
The measure was placed on the ballot by California lawmakers, and was supported by civil liberties groups including the ACLU and Equality California, the California Chamber of Commerce, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and Gov. Gavin Newsom.
It was opposed by a number of conservative Christian organizations, including the California Family Council, California Capitol Connection and Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee.
— Andrew Sheeler
Update: 10:30 p.m. Tuesday
California’s 21st Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Jim Costa and Republican Michael Maher
Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, was leading in early results from California’s 21st Congressional District on Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press.
Costa, a member of Congress since 2005, faced a repeat challenge from Republican Michael Maher, a former FBI special agent and Navy veteran. Costa had 53% of the votes with an estimated 43% of votes counted as of 10:20 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday. Maher had 47%.
The 21st district, which covers the majority of Fresno, takes parts of Fresno and Tulare counties. It’s seen as solidly Democratic by nonpartisan election analysts.
— Gillian Brassil
Update: 10:25 p.m. Tuesday
Tax measures on their way to defeat in Woodland
Early returns show that voters in Woodland are rejecting two local tax measures, including a bond that would fund repairs and improvements for school facilities and a one-cent sales tax measure.
Woodland Joint Unified School District’s Measure P has received only 45% of votes in favor despite early polling showing more promising returns. The measure needs 55% approval to win.
Measure U, a proposed sales tax for the City of Woodland, is also trailing with 44% of voters saying “yes.”
Both measures were the target of highly-funded opposition campaigns largely driven by local business owner and former oil mogul Jeffrey Morgan. According to campaign finance filings, Morgan’s PAC has spent $120,000 on efforts to defeat Measures P and U.Other sales tax measures in Yolo County show promising returns for approval.
— Jennah Pendleton
Update: 10:20 p.m. Tuesday
Voters pass Prop. 35, permanent tax on insurance plans
Medi-Cal, California’s health care program for low income and disabled residents, will be permanently funded by revenue from an existing tax on health insurance under Proposition 35, which held a wide lead in early returns on Tuesday night.
The Associated Press called the race in favor of the initiative, which had approval from 68% of voters by around 10 p.m.
The ballot measure makes the Managed Care Organization Provider Tax a permanent funding source for health care services used by Californians who are covered by Medi-Cal.
Prop. 35’s supporters included the California Medical Association and the Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. The League of Women Voters of California, among others, opposed the ballot measure.
— William Melhado
Update: 9:45 p.m. Tuesday
Prop. 36 on retail theft, drug crimes passes by wide margin
Californians easily passed Proposition 36 Tuesday night, with more than 70% voting to strengthen penalties for retail and drug crimes that were downgraded a decade ago.
Supporters say tougher consequences are needed to reduce homelessness, drug use and thefts across the state. Opponents argue the measure will again move California’s criminal justice pendulum, in this case backward, to a time when stricter sentences led to prisons overflowing with incarcerated people.
To the outside, its strong support might seem like a surprise in a state dominated by Democrats.
In reality, it’s just the latest example of California voters showing their complicated feelings about crime and punishment.
READ MORE: California voters pass Proposition 36, taking tougher stance on retail theft, crime
— Stephen Hobbs
Update: 9:45 p.m. Tuesday
Conservative, religious incumbents take lead in Rocklin school board races
Rocklin Unified School District incumbent candidates Julie Hupp and Rachelle Price have taken the lead over their teacher union-endorsed challengers, early returns in Placer County show.
Early results showed Hupp ahead of Rocklin parent Price Johnson with 54% of votes to represent the school district’s Area 1. The seat represents Rocklin Elementary School, where Johnson’s children attend, and Sierra Elementary.
Hupp came under fire last year when she called for more “Christ-centered” teachers to get involved in their local unions. She was also president of the board when it passed a parent notification policy, which requires school staff to inform parents if their child is trans or experimenting with their gender identity.
Rachelle Price was ahead of challenger Jen Brookover to represent Area 3 by 54.57% of votes as of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night. Area 3 includes Rocklin High School and Granite Oaks Middle School, as well as three elementary schools.
Brookover ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the board in 2022 and, like Johnson, earned endorsements and financial backing from the local teachers union, the Rocklin Teachers Professional Association. Price, like Hupp, voted in support of the parent notification policy.
— Jenavieve Hatch
Update: 9:35 p.m. Tuesday
California’s 20th Congressional District
Republican Rep. Vince Fong
Rep. Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, won re-election in California’s 20th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected on Tuesday night.
Fong first started serving in Congress this year, winning a special election runoff in May to complete the remainder of former Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s term. McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, left his seat in December — two months after being ousted as Speaker of the House by his peers.
On Tuesday, Fong was seeking a full two-year House term of his own. Fong had 68% of the votes with an estimated 42% of votes counted as of 9:30 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday.
His Republican opponent, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, had dropped out of the race after Fong won the May special election. Boudreaux, who could not remove his name from the ballot, had 32% on Tuesday.
The 20th district — a solidly red district, according to nonpartisan election analysts — encompasses parts of Kern, Tulare, Kings and Fresno counties.
— Gillian Brassil
Update: 9:30 p.m. Tuesday
California’s 4th Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson and Republican John Munn
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, won re-election in California’s 4th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected on Tuesday night.
Thompson, a member of Congress since 1999, faced Republican John Munn, a farmer and rancher. Thompson had 69% of the votes with an estimated 40% of ballots counted as of 9:30 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday. Munn had 31%.
The 4th district contains all of Lake and Napa counties plus parts of Yolo, Solano and Sonoma counties. Nonpartisan election analysts saw the race as solidly Democratic.
— Gillian Brassil
Update: 9:15 p.m. Tuesday
Proposition 33
Repeals Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act that restricts rent control
The third attempt to overturn a state law restricting rent control is likely to fail following a contentious and expensive campaign around one of California’s most pressing issues: housing affordability.
Proposition 33 earned about 36% of votes as of Tuesday evening, according to unofficial election results reported by the California Secretary of State.
The measure would have repealed the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which prohibits the state from limiting cities and counties’ rent-control ordinances. Prop. 33’s main supporter, the Los Angeles nonprofit AIDS Healthcare Foundation, unsuccessfully sought to overturn the state law in 2018 and 2020.
Opponents of the proposal argued that it would exacerbate California’s housing crisis by allowing cities to block new housing developments.
READ MORE: Prop. 33, California’s rent control measure, is likely to fail for third time despite housing crisis
— William Melhado
Update: 9:10 p.m. Tuesday
Singh-Allen ahead for third term as Elk Grove mayor
Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen is holding a sizable lead over her challengers in her bid for a third term leading the city of Elk Grove.
As polls closed Tuesday, Singh-Allen held a strong lead with 70% of the votes over physician Brian Pastor (20%) and longtime local activist and council watcher Lynn Wheat (11%).
Both Pastor and Wheat have challenged the incumbent before and lost.
On the City Council, incumbents Darren Suen in the 1st District and Kevin Spease in the 3rd District ran unopposed.
READ MORE: Who’s ahead in Elk Grove elections? See early results for mayor, EGUSD and Measure N bond
— Darrell Smith
Update: 9:05 p.m. Tuesday
Highly-funded candidates pull ahead in school board races
It was an expensive year for Sacramento school board races, with candidates in five districts collectively raising more than $600,000, largely from local PACs.
These highly-funded candidates are leading in early results among the five largest school districts with seats up for election.
The two candidates that Sacramento City Teachers Association spent over $200,000 in support of — Jose Navarro and April Ybarra — are each pulling ahead in their respective races within Sacramento City Unified School District. Navarro leads with 60% of the vote in Trustee Area 3 where Ybarra leads with 45% in her three-way race for Trustee Area 4.
Nick Bloise, whose campaign has largely been self-funded, leads in San Juan Unified School District Trustee Area 2 with 49% of the vote.
There are some exceptions, however.
Folsom City Councilmember YK Chalamcherla is pulling ahead of his opponent, who raised ten times the amount of campaign money he did.
Incumbents without a lot of cash are also faring well. Chris Clark is ahead in Folsom Cordova Unified School District Trustee Area 4 with 54% of the vote and Micah Grant leads in Natomas Unified School District Trustee Area 3 with 60%.
— Jennah Pendleton
Update: 9 p.m. Tuesday
Measure O for Metro Fire upgrades leading in early returns
Sacramento County’s Measure O, the $415 million bond measure to fund upgrades to facilities and equipment for the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, is leading in early results.
Just after 8 p.m. Tuesday, the measure was ahead 68% to 32%, meeting a two-thirds majority.
The initiative would only require a 55% majority to pass if Prop. 5 passes.
Metro Fire is one of the largest fire agencies in the state. Its stations serve more than 720,000 people across much of unincorporated Sacramento County, the cities of Citrus Heights and Rancho Cordova and a sliver of Placer County.
The 35-year bond expires in 2061. Measure O would cost $19 per $100,000 of assessed value, or about $78 per year, for the typical property taxpayer, said Metro officials.
READ MORE: See early election results for Measure O, Sacramento Metro Fire’s $415 million bond measure
— Darrell Smith
Update: 8:55 p.m. Tuesday
School bond measures pull ahead in early returns
Early vote returns suggest that voters are in favor of school bond measures that would fund building repairs, renovations and new construction at local schools. So far, seven of the eight school bond measures on the ballot in Sacramento County are pulling ahead.
The measures each need a 55% majority vote to pass.
The collective estimated facilities needs of schools in Sacramento County reaches nearly $10 billion. Many schools in the area are counting on their bond measures passing to fund a range of projects: making necessary repairs to century-old buildings, constructing new transitional kindergarten classrooms as enrollment climbs, adding up to date technology to existing classrooms and beefing up security are among the top project priorities at local school districts.
READ MORE: How did school bonds fare in Sacramento County? See early election results
— Jennah Pendleton
Update: 8:45 p.m. Tuesday
Sacramento mayor: Cofer supporters continue party results begin
Early results have not put a damper on the supporters of Sacramento mayoral candidate Flojaune Cofer, who currently trails opponent Assemblyman Kevin McCarty.
In the first drop of election results released around 8 p.m., McCarty had about 56% of the vote and Cofer had 44%.
“Very respectful early returns,” said Sacramento Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela, who had been refreshing her phone for the results.
Valenzuela was among the 100 supporters in attendance at Cofer’s watch party at Tipsy Putt in Downtown Sacramento.
They expressed their optimism for Cofer in her race and the potential for a new Sacramento vision.“She’s done a really good job of bringing the community together and I think she will continue to do that,” said Sacramento resident Jessica Martin.
Cofer is expected to show up at the party soon.
— Mathew Miranda
Update: 8:45 p.m. Tuesday
Dickinson leading early returns in Sacramento council race
In the race to represent North Sacramento on Sacramento City Council, Roger Dickinson has a strong lead over Stephen Walton in early returns Tuesday.
Dickinson had about 63% of the vote and Walton had 37% as of results released around 8 p.m. The next update is expected from Sacramento County election officials at 10 p.m.
The last elected representative to hold the District 2 seat was Sean Loloee, who in January resigned after he was criminally charged with federal labor violations relating to his grocery store chain. Loloee also lives in Granite Bay, far outside the district, the U.S. Department of Justice determined following a Sacramento Bee report.
Shoun Thao has been serving in the seat on an interim basis.
Dickinson, 74, is a former member of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors and the California State Assembly, where he largely focused on youth issues. He’s been out of elected office for a decade but decided to run after watching what happened with Loloee, he said.
— Theresa Clift
Update: 8:35 p.m. Tuesday
California’s 7th Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui and Republican Tom Silva
Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, won re-election in California’s 7th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected on Tuesday night.
Matsui, a member of Congress since 2005, faced Republican Tom Silva, a veteran and school board trustee. Matsui had 66% of the votes with 40% of them counted as of 8:30 p.m. Pacific on Tuesday. Silva had 34%.
The district covers southern Sacramento County and bits of Solano and Yolo counties, taking in Downtown Sacramento, Galt, Elk Grove and West Sacramento. It is solidly Democratic, according to nonpartisan election analysts.
— Gillian Brassil
Update: 8:30 p.m. Tuesday
Sacramento mayor: McCarty supporters celebrate early results
In the race for Sacramento’s next mayor, Assemblyman Kevin McCarty has a lead over Flojaune Cofer in early returns Tuesday. McCarty had about 56% of the vote and Cofer had 44% as of 8 p.m.
McCarty, 52, rose in Sacramento politics from city commission to City Council to assemblyman.
At his mayoral watch party at Cafeteria 15L in Downtown, McCarty was welcomed by woos and a round of applause.
Upon entering, he was greeted by Councilwoman Karina Talamantes and a group of Sacramento resident supporters.
Talamantes, after hugging McCarty asked, “How are you feeling? Do you need anything?”
“I’m feeling good,” McCarty said, patting her on the back. McCarty has proceeded to shake hands and photos with supporters.
As the first results came in, supporters applauded and cheered. One begins shouting “hip hip hooray!” while watching results projected on the wall.
The next update is expected from Sacramento County election officials at 10 p.m. and midnight, followed by additional results Friday and next week. A winner may not be declared for several weeks. The winner will replace Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who has led the city since 2016 and decided not to run for re-election.
— Theresa Clift and Emma Hall
Update: 8:20 p.m. Tuesday
California Assembly District 1
Republicans Heather Hadwick and Tenessa Audette
Heather Hadwick, a Modoc County family farm operator, former school board president and Modoc County Deputy Office of Emergency Services Director, is winning in the race to replace outgoing Assemblywoman Megan Dahle, R-Bieber, to represent California’s Assembly District 1.
Hadwick faced off with fellow North State Republican Tenessa Audette, the current mayor of Redding in Trump-red Shasta County.
Hadwick earned 62.9% of the votes as of 8:10 p.m. Pacific on Tuesday. Audette had 37.1%.
District 1 encompasses much of Northern California east of the coast, from El Dorado County all the way to the Oregon border counties of Siskiyou and Modoc.
— Jenavieve Hatch
Update: 8:20 p.m. Tuesday
Proposition 2
$10 billion bond to improve school infrastructure
California voters will likely pass a proposition which will allocate $10 billion in general obligation bonds to upgrade infrastructure at K-12 public schools, charter schools, community colleges and technical education programs.
Early returns Tuesday night showed Proposition 2 passing by 55.1%.
October polling by the Public Policy Institute of California showed that 52% of Californians supported the measure. It was endorsed by both the California Republican and Democratic parties, as well as State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and the California School Board Association.
It was opposed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, who argued that school infrastructure repair belongs in the budget, not in a bond. California does not have permanent funding for school repairs.
— Jenavieve Hatch
READ MORE: Yes vote pulls ahead on California’s Prop. 2 funding to fix aging schools, early results show
Update: 8:20 p.m.
Placer County transportation tax increase Measure B ahead early
Measure B, the South Placer County ballot measure that would slightly increase the local sales tax to fund road projects with 52% of the money going toward highways and road widening, was ahead in early returns Tuesday night.
The transportation tax increase needs a two-thirds majority of the vote to pass and had just under that — 65%.
That threshold would fall to 55% if Proposition 5, the statewide measure on bond voting for municipalities, passed.
The measure would add a half percent to retail purchases in Roseville, Rocklin and Lincoln for 30 years. Officials estimated it would raise $41 million annually.
Without the sales tax, the county has no money budgeted to provide the “local match” demanded by many state and federal grants.
The ordinance laid out what infrastructure plans the tax is for: Placer County Local Transportation Authority plans to focus on widening roads as the population grows.
READ MORE: Placer County transportation tax for Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln ahead in Tuesday’s election
— Ariane Lange
Update: 8:10 p.m.
Adam Schiff wins Senate seat
Adam Schiff, a hero to Democrats for leading Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, defeated Republican Steve Garvey on Tuesday to win a California U.S. Senate seat, the Associated Press projected.
The outcome of the race to replace Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., was never in doubt from the day Schiff won the March 5 Democratic primary. Butler was appointed last year after the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who had held the seat for 31 years; Butler did not run to remain the seat.
Schiff, 64, a veteran congressman from the Los Angeles area, was running in two elections Tuesday, once for the remaining few weeks of the Butler term and once for a full six-year term that begins in January. When sworn in, he will become the state’s junior senator, joining Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., who has been in office since 2021.
READ MORE: Adam Schiff wins California U.S. Senate race against baseball star Steve Garvey
— David Lightman
Update: 7:15 p.m. Tuesday
Kamala Harris watch party begins at Howard
The Harris-Walz campaign watch party is underway at Howard University, Kamala Harris’ alma mater, with a party-like vibe. The crowd is watching election results on giant projectors and at times dancing while a DJ plays hits by artists including Beyonce, Megan Thee Stallion and Michael Jackson.
There was a big boo from the crowd, though, when CNN called Texas for Donald Trump just after polls closed in that state.
As the first polls began to close around the country, the vice president was having dinner with her family. She is not expected to appear at the party until later.
Though he was nervously checking Georgia’s election updates, Mark Long of Washington, D.C. said he was “very excited” to be there supporting Harris after knocking doors for her.
“This is the 152nd anniversary of the first woman who ever voted in America, and she got arrested for it. Whoever wins tonight will be sworn in on Martin Luther King’s federal holiday. I don’t think I serve a God that would do that wrong in a time like this,” he said.
The 58-year-old spent a few years living in Los Angeles and said he admired Harris from her time as a Bay Area prosecutor and as California attorney general. “I’ve always respected where she’s been on principles, fighting for the little guy. You always felt like you had an internal champion in her,” he said.
“I definitely know I’m going to witness history,” Long said.
— Nicole Nixon
Update: 7 p.m. Tuesday
One hour left
Polls are closing in the West — voting ended in Nevada, Montana and Utah at 7 p.m. — and there’s now an hour left for California.
Polls will close at 8 p.m. in California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
— Michael McGough
Update: 6:15 p.m. Tuesday
School board candidate dropped out. Or did he?
A candidate who previously stated he was dropping out of the campaign for Placer Union High School District appears to have publicly embraced his candidacy in the final hours before the polls close.
Jeffreys made his first public appearance as a candidate at a meet and greet event for Foothills area conservative school board candidates hosted by the Placer County Republican Party in Auburn Monday night. A picture of him at the event holding his own campaign sign was posted to the Facebook page created on his behalf.
He also changed his position on how involved he would remain in the election should he win.
READ MORE: ‘Dropped out’ Placer school board candidate appears with his campaign sign on election eve
— Jennah Pendleton
Update: 6:15 p.m. Tuesday
California’s role in race for Congress
Republicans look poised to win control of the U.S. Senate while Democrats could take the House as voters across the nation cast ballots Tuesday. Early results gave Republicans an edge, as West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice won a U.S. Senate seat from that state, according to an Associated Press projection. The seat is held now by Democrat Joe Manchin, who is retiring.
Democrats now control 51 of the Senate’s 100 seats. If Democrats lose no other seats, the Senate would be split 50-50 between the parties. Control would then depend on who wins the White House, since the vice president is Senate president and breaks ties.
Getting to 50-50, though, could now be tough for Democrats. Analysts see Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Bob Casey, D-Pa., Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin as potential Republican pickups. Also in play is Michigan, where Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, is retiring.
In California, polls say Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Glendale, is expected to coast to a win over Republican Steve Garvey for the state’s U.S. Senate seat. Sen. Laphonza Butler, a Democrat, was appointed to the seat last year to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
California could play a bigger role in determining who wins the House, as five races are deemed too close to call. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win control for the first time since 2019 and make New York’s Hakeem Jeffries the first Black Speaker.
READ MORE: Will Republicans or Democrats control U.S. Congress in January? Here’s the latest
— David Lightman
Update: 5:45 p.m. Tuesday
Placer County expects huge increase of in-person voters
The line to vote at the Placer County Elections Office vote center in Rocklin grew longer and longer Tuesday evening as voters eagerly waited to scan their ballots with the county’s new “sign, scan and go” system.
“I’ve never seen it like this,” said Stacy Robinson, public information assistant for the Elections Office, who started her role in 2022.
The “sign, scan and go” model allows voters to fill out their vote-by-mail ballots at home, then bring them to one of the county’s 29 vote centers to scan it in-person. Placer County Registrar of Voters Ryan Ronco said it’s “the best of both worlds,” and gives voters the convenience of filling out their ballot on their own time while also providing the transparency of seeing their ballots processed in real time.
He credited the “sign, scan and go” method for increasing voter turnout among in-person voters. He also estimates that the county will likely see around 20% of voters casting their ballot in person — a huge jump from the March primary, where 11% of voters did so. In November 2022, only 8% voted in person.
Earlier Tuesday afternoon, there were an average of 1,500 voters an hour among all 29 vote centers. Ronco estimates the county will see a turnout close to its highest, which is 88.3% and one of the highest in the state.
— Jenavieve Hatch
Update: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday
Solid early turnout in California’s capital region
Even before the polls closed on Tuesday, turnout was robust among early voters and those who voted by mail in the Sacramento region.
By 5 p.m. Tuesday, election officials in Sacramento County had verified signatures on 375,428 ballots for a 42% turnout thus far among registered voters, spokesman Ken Casparis told The Sacramento Bee. That includes about 196,000 ballots that came in by mail, about 140,000 by drop box and another roughly 40,000 walked in or completed in person, Casparis said.
In Placer County, turnout as of 3 p.m. Tuesday was already 53%, with 41,000 ballots cast in person, 106,000 mail-in ballots received and processed, and another 7,700 awaiting processing, spokeswoman Stacy Robinson said.
El Dorado County reported a 45% turnout just in mail-in and early voting, its website showed. The county sent 136,200 ballots to registered voters, of which about 61,400 have been returned and had the signatures verified.
By comparison, in the 2022 November elections total turnout in Sacramento County was about 56%. In 2020, the last presidential cycle, turnout among registered voters was 82.5%, state records show.
— Sharon Bernstein
Update: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday
Coach’s Colfax pride shines on ‘Super Bowl’ of election days
Rod Beidler is a former coach, so the Colfax man knows a fair bit about preparation.
As voters streamed into a busy Colfax Veterans’ Center just before noon on Election Day, his seven-person team handling the crowds without a hitch, Coach Beidler beamed.
“I called Saturday our preseason,” said Beidler, a volunteer supervising the polling place inside the center, noting a few glitches that day.
“Sunday was the season,” he went on, smiling. “Monday was the playoffs; and, today’s the Super Bowl. And, believe me, these people are ready.”
His game plan was working to perfection.
Except one thing, he said: “We’ve run out of ‘I voted’ stickers.”
At the end of a historic, consequential election season with a presidential race that might be too close to call for some time, Beidler had reason to be excited, and more than a little proud.
The city limit sign at the edge of this historic foothill town declares a population of 1,963. By noon, 196 people had walked through the center’s doors to cast their ballots.
“We’ll probably be about 800 to 900, if we don’t get to 1,000 today,” Beidler said. “Everybody is excited around making an effort to be here.”
— Darrell Smith
Update: 4:30 p.m. Tuesday
Sacramento voters share thoughts at housing project, church
Teacher Josh Dennis has voted since he first became eligible in 1992, always at the polling station because he loves what he calls “the OG ‘I Voted’ sticker.”
He did his civic duty this year at a community center surrounded by the Marina Vista public housing project in Upper Land Park. Asked outside the polls whether he believed in the U.S. election process, the 50-year-old Dennis replied: “Yes, for sure, without a doubt.”
Turnout was light early Tuesday as Dennis and other Sacramento residents turned in their ballots at the Marina Vista Community Center and the South Sacramento Christian Center, two areas of the city where families often struggle to meet their basic needs.
Five of seven voters outside the venue declared they had chosen Kamala Harris to become the next president of the United States. One voter declined to share her choice and the seventh said he decided to cast his first-ever vote in a U.S. election to support Donald Trump’s return to the highest office in the land.
READ MORE: Teacher, businessman, sales clerk: How and why 7 Sacramento residents voted in election
— Cathie Anderson
Update: 3:30 p.m. Tuesday
In Sutter County, tax measures stand out
In Sutter County, there are two issues atop many voter minds: Trump and taxes.
The presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump brought voters Tuesday afternoon to Veterans Memorial Community Building, one of several polling locations in Yuba City.
But down ballot was another issue of public interest: Measure D, an additional 1% sales tax that Yuba City and Sutter County would share to fix roads and fund public safety.
Republican presidential candidates have won Sutter County decidedly in recent elections, including 2020, when Trump defeated President Joe Biden by almost 17 percentage points.
Anthony Lancieri, 38, was one who voted for Trump and against taxes.
“I know it doesn’t really matter here in California, but still, if I don’t vote I can’t complain about it,” he said of his vote for president.
He said he also voted against all of the state measures except for Proposition 36, which would raise penalties for certain drug and theft crimes, and also the local sales tax increase.
“I voted no against everything, basically, that’s going to add taxes to everybody,” he said.
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Atham Dhaddey, 27, who’s from Yuba City and had lived in London for the past couple of years, voted for Harris, who he sees as the “one credible choice” for president.
“I think it’s a really important election,” he said. “I think we definitely have to vote in the ways that uphold what the country was founded on and what’s important to me. Rights of women, especially. I have sisters and a mom and am very close to a lot of people whose rights could be under attack at some point.”
Laurie Pirrello, 68, said she was in favor of Republicans and against taxes. That is, except for the local sales tax measure, which she voted in favor of, she said, to fix the roads.
“I want Republicans to rule,” she said. “I like their decisions best.”
— Jake Goodrick
Update: 3 p.m. Tuesday
Election Day procrastinator? There are 5 hours left to vote
Have you voted yet? If you’re reading this, chances are the answer to that is “no.”
No worries, The Sacramento Bee is here to help you do your civic duty in fashionably late time.
From the races and issues you’re voting on, to who the candidates are and a lot more, we’ve got a guide for procrastinators in this year’s election.
READ MORE: Procrastinator’s guide to California’s 2024 election: What you need to know before you vote
— Andrew Sheeler
Update: 1:45 p.m. Tuesday
Can I leave work early to vote in Sacramento? See state rules
With Election Day landing in the middle of the work week, many Californians might find themselves needing to take early morning trips, extended lunch breaks or evening dashes to the polls after work to vote.
Election Day is not a federal or state holiday, which means that California voters don’t get the day off work or school.
However, state law requires employers to allow paid time off for employees who need to vote.
California Elections Code 14000 says if a voter does not have enough time to vote outside of working hours in a statewide election, they can take time off work — without a pay deduction — to ensure they can vote.
“No more than two hours of the time taken off for voting shall be without loss of pay,” the law says.
This time off should occur at the beginning or end of the regular shift, depending on which option minimizes work time missed.
That’s unless the employee and employer agree on a different time.
READ MORE: Can I leave work early to vote on Election Day? Get time off? What California law says
— Angela Rodriguez
Update: 11:50 a.m. Tuesday
What do Sacramento-area voters care about? Proposition 36
Proposition 36, which would allow federal prosecution and increase sentences for some drug- and theft-related crimes, was the most important ballot item for many voters at the Sacramento Public Library’s Carmichael branch on Tuesday morning.
Not all of them voted in unison, though.
One of 10 statewide ballot measures, Proposition 36 would allow shoplifters to be charged with felonies even if they steal less than $950 worth of goods, reversing the effects of 2014’s Proposition 47.
It would also allow people caught with fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine to be charged with “treatment-mandated” felonies instead of misdemeanors, provided they had two or more prior drug-related convictions.
To Austin Isgitt, 22, those punishments would not fit the crimes.
“I feel like anyone who is using drugs, they’re in that situation because of things that have happened to them in their life,” said Isgitt, a registered Democrat. “They have a right to be rehabilitated and helped and not labeled criminals because of ... life situations that put them there.”
Donna Whitaker and Dean Conrad, 77 and 78, are both Democrats and voted together.
While Whitaker voted no on Proposition 36, Conrad voted in favor of the tough-on-crime measure.
A retired nurse from New York, Conrad felt her old state had more specialty programs than California to help people convicted of minor crimes.
If Proposition 36 passes, she hopes it will spur California to develop more of those programs, she said.
In a house divided over many political issues, Raymond and Malia Williamson were both in favor of Proposition 36.
Raymond is a Republican and Malia a Democrat, and they don’t discuss the presidential race at home.
Both had grown weary, though, of California’s limited penalties for crimes that were “pretty in-your-face,” as Raymond Williamson, 59, put it.
Proposition 36 had a large lead in pre-election polls and was expected to pass Tuesday.
“People stealing and stealing and stealing and there’s no repercussions? I’m tired of it,” Malia Williamson, 62, said.
— Benjy Egel
Update: 10:15 a.m. Tuesday
Flojaune Cofer, Kevin McCarty face off in Sacramento major race
The two candidates facing off in the Sacramento mayoral election — Flojaune Cofer and California Assemblyman Kevin McCarty — cast their votes on Monday.
Sacramento residents on Tuesday will elect a new mayor for the first time in eight years.
Mayor Darrell Steinberg did not run for re-election.
Cofer, who has never run for public office before and pledged to bring a fresh perspective to City Hall, said she and her supporters have run a positive campaign promoting her vision for the city if she’s elected. She said her campaign will spend Tuesday getting out the vote.
“We’re going to be on college campuses making sure young people remember to vote,” Cofer said moments after submitting her ballot Monday. “We’re going to be doing our final get out the vote push.”
McCarty has highlighted his experience as a politician, both in the state assembly and on the City Council, including the things he has accomplished and the relationships he has built.
In a video he shared Monday on X, formerly known as Twitter, McCarty reminded voters they still have Tuesday to submit their ballots.
“I hope to earn your vote for Sacramento to serve as our next mayor,” McCarty said in the video. “But most importantly, make your voice heard and vote in 2024.”
Both candidates agree the No. 1 issue voters care about in this election cycle is homelessness.
Both proposed the city open sanctioned campgrounds where people can live in trailers, tiny homes or tents with water, food and bathrooms as they await permanent housing. The candidates differ on how this would look.
— Rosalio Ahumada
Update: 8 a.m. Tuesday
How late is too late to vote on Election Day?
How late can I vote in person?
Voting on Election Day in California? You need to be in line at your local polling place before 8 p.m. Tuesday in order to vote, according to the California Secretary of State’s Office.
“The lines will be cut off at 8 p.m.,” the office said.
How late can I mail in my ballot?
When mailing in your ballot, the California Secretary of State website says the ballot “must be postmarked on or before Election Day” and received no later than seven days after Election Day.
How late can I take my ballot to a drop-off location?
No later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, the website says.
— Angela Rodriguez
Update: 5 a.m. Tuesday
Where can I drop off my ballot or vote in person?
The following information is for the Sacramento region, including Sacramento, Placer, Yolo and El Dorado counties.
Sacramento County
You can take your ballot to one of the dropoff locations, or visit a vote center if you need assistance, such as requesting a new ballot.
For more information, you can call the Sacramento County Voter Registration and Elections Office at 916-875-6451.
Placer County
You can find a list of ballot dropoff locations here. For more information, you can call the Placer County Office of Elections at 530-886-5650.
El Dorado County
El Dorado County maintains a number of voter centers and ballot dropoff locations.
For more information, call the El Dorado County elections office in Placerville at 530-621-7480 or, from El Dorado Hills, 916-358-3555, ext. 7480. The South Lake Tahoe office can be reached at 530-573-7955, ext. 7480.
Yolo County
You can find your nearest voting center or ballot dropoff location by visiting here. For more information from Yolo County elections, call 530-666-8133.
— Andrew Sheeler
When are voting centers open? When do polls close?
Here’s what time voting sites open and close.
On Election Day, polls are open across California from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. That’s when county elections officials will begin tallying the results.
Just be in line by 7:59 p.m., according to the California Secretary of State’s Office.
“If a voter is in line to vote when the polls close they have the right to vote,” the office told The Sacramento Bee via email.
— Angela Rodriguez
Can I still register to vote?
Here’s how to register to vote on Election Day.
Although the last day to register to vote for the general election was Oct. 21, the California Secretary of State’s Office said eligible voters who missed the deadline to register or update their voter registration information can still participate in the election through same-day voter registration.
“This process allows eligible voters to register and vote at the same time at their county elections office, polling place or vote center up to and including Election Day,” the office wrote in an email to The Sacramento Bee.
“Their ballots will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process,” the California Secretary of State said on its website.
You can find your nearest location to register here.
— Angela Rodriguez
What’s on the ballot?
Access our voter guides.
At the center of the 2024 general election is the battle between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump to become the next U.S. president.
You also have a chance to vote for California’s next junior U.S. Senator — a choice between Republican former baseball player Steve Garvey and Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff.
Also at stake are the races for U.S. House of Representatives, California State Senate and California State Assembly, as well as local races and 10 statewide ballot initiatives.
The Sacramento Bee has complied a guide to where to find fact checks, unbiased voter information and more. Sources include the California Secretary of State, Vote 411, Politifact and Snopes.com.
Check out The Sacramento Bee Voter Guide for detailed race information and endorsements.
— Bee Staff
What should I do if I lost my ballot?
How to replace your ballot.
If you didn’t receive, lost or accidentally destroyed your original vote-by-mail ballot, you can apply for a replacement ballot, the California Secretary of State’s Office said.
To get a replacement ballot, fill out an application and return it your local county elections office.
You can also request a replacement ballot from your county elections office by “phone, email, fax or other electronic means,” according to the California Secretary of State website.
— Angela Rodriguez
What can I bring with me to vote? What’s banned?
California allows eligible voters to bring a variety of non-political items into a polling place, according to the California Secretary of State’s office. These include:
- A form of identification such as a driver’s license, passport or student identification card
- A blue or black pen or a Sharpie to make your vote
- Personal notes or a sample ballot
- Your cellphone. California has no restrictions against snapping a selfie in the ballot box or taking pictures of your ballot.
Children under age 18 can tag along when you vote.
Service animals are allowed at polling places in California to aid voters with disabilities, and you can bring along human helpers as well.
However, under California law, you’re not allowed to distribute, display or wear a candidate’s name, image or logo within 100 feet of a voting center. This includes clothing, hats, buttons, signs or stickers.
— Hannah Poukish and Fernanda Galan
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
